Discover the best of Japanese cinema, film, and television

Discover the definitive list of popular and critically-acclaimed movies and TV shows from Japan. Find your next binge-watch, streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!

The cinema of Japan

Japanese cinema is a giant of the art form, a culture with two powerful, legendary hearts: the masterful legacy of its live-action filmmakers and the world-conquering magic of its animation. The nation’s cinematic golden age gave the world the legendary Akira Kurosawa, whose epic samurai films like Seven Samurai became a global cinematic language, influencing everything from westerns to sci-fi. Yet this same era produced the quiet, profound humanism of Yasujirō Ozu, a master of the gentle family drama. It is a cinema of incredible range. But Japan also has a brilliantly playful and terrifying side. It is the nation that unleashed Godzilla, inventing the entire 'kaiju' or giant monster genre. In the 90s, it reinvented horror with the chilling psychological dread of J-Horror classics like Ring (Ringu), whose influence is still felt today. Its most powerful global cultural export is undoubtedly anime. The art form reached sublime heights with the breathtaking films of Studio Ghibli and the visionary Hayao Miyazaki. What was once a niche interest has become a dominant global culture, powering countless beloved television series and blockbuster films that captivate audiences of all ages. What makes Japanese cinema so endlessly fascinating is this perfect harmony between ancient tradition and startling innovation, between the quietest human moment and the most spectacular fantasy.

Best Japanese series

  • Poster for Last Samurai Standing

    Last Samurai Standing 2025

    In the early Meiji era, Shujiro, once known as an undefeated samurai, decides to participate in a deadly survival game to save his family and villagers.

    Netflix
    76
  • Poster for Gachiakuta

    Gachiakuta 2025

    Accused of murder and thrown into the Pit, a young orphan joins a group of monster fighters with special powers to uncover the truth and seek vengeance.

    MBC
    79
  • Poster for Takopi's Original Sin

    Takopi's Original Sin 2025

    A Happy alien, Takopi, lands on Earth with one mission: to spread happiness! When he meets Shizuka, a lonely fourth grader, he vows to bring back her smile using his magical Happy Gadgets. But as he uncovers the pain in her life, Takopi learns that true happiness may require more than gadgets.

    VIDEX
    83
  • Poster for The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity

    The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity 2025

    When the intimidating Rintaro meets the open-minded Kaoruko, the unlikely duo grows closer. The issue? Their neighboring high schools hate each other.

    Tochigi TV
    84
  • Poster for The Summer Hikaru Died

    The Summer Hikaru Died 2025

    Six months ago, Hikaru vanished for a week. Now, as his best friend Yoshiki senses something amiss and confronts him, the harrowing truth emerges.

    Nippon TV
    78
  • Poster for Clevatess

    Clevatess 2025

    One of the Lords of Dark Beasts, Clevatess’s reign shatters when he revives a hero he personally slayed and adopts an orphaned humanoid baby—the last hope to save a dying world. Now bound together, what fate awaits this unlikely trio?

    AT-X
    77

Best Japanese movies

  • Poster for Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc

    Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc 2025

    In a brutal war between devils, hunters, and secret enemies, a mysterious girl named Reze has stepped into Denji's world, and he faces his deadliest battle yet, fueled by love in a world where survival knows no rules.

    83
  • Poster for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

    Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle 2025

    The Demon Slayer Corps are drawn into the Infinity Castle, where Tanjiro, Nezuko, and the Hashira face terrifying Upper Rank demons in a desperate fight as the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji begins.

    83
  • Poster for Exit 8

    Exit 8 2025

    A man trapped in an endless sterile subway passageway sets out to find Exit 8. The rules of his quest are simple: do not overlook anything out of the ordinary. If you discover an anomaly, turn back immediately. If you don’t, carry on. Then leave from Exit 8. But even a single oversight will send him back to the beginning. Will he ever reach his goal and escape this infinite corridor?

    67
  • Poster for 100 METERS

    100 METERS 2025

    A gifted runner trains a determined but unskilled classmate, unaware he's creating a rival who will challenge him on the track for years to come.

    76
  • Poster for 10DANCE

    10DANCE 2025

    Two dancers, opposites in all but their art, agree to train together for a competition. At first, they clash, but soon become drawn to each other.

    70
  • Poster for Spirited Away

    Spirited Away 2001

    A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.

    86